Church news, book reviews, thoughts on spirituality, nudges, and direction, poetry and testimonies. This blog is not updated as frequently as Collecting my Thoughts, where I regularly write.

Friday, April 22, 2005

262 The Pope is Catholic

Isn't that a surprise! Philip Lawler in today's Wall Street Journal says that the portrait being painted of Benedict XVI by the MSM responding to the secular liberals "is completely at odds with the actual personality of Benedict XVI. In fact, he is a genial, diffident man. Those who meet him for the first time are invariably struck by the humility that camouflages his powerful intellect." He comments that belief in absolute truth gives offense to those who cling to the self-contradictory principle that there are no absolutes. Their real complaint is that the Pope is Catholic. Lawler is editor of Catholic World Report.

As a Protestant (Lutheran) watching all this unfold during the last few weeks with the death of the Pope and selection of the new Pope, I've discovered my inner Catholic. And my high school Latin. I actually want someone in charge! I'd like someone to say, this is right and that is wrong despite what your government or school system or entertainers say. In Protestantism we are constantly thrown from one side of the boat to the other, and we wander from church door to church door looking for truth. We don't take in converts, we get disgruntled transfers seeking different music and jazzy programming. All Protestant denominations have had numerous splits and schisms. Then they regroup and start all over again. I think when the Catholic church caves, we're all in trouble.

I've heard a few Catholic commentators suggest to those Catholics who don't like what the church is doing, to "walk." Well, stay out of our neighborhood--we've got enough problems of our own figuring it out.

1 comment:

I agree. The Bible gives us the guide, filled with absolutes. We don't really need at pope to know this. However, Protestants do seem to be so confused. I'm thinking that one of the the reasons the ELCA is so liberal is because of the former Catholics. These are the Catholics who didn't like the absolutes and they now make up the marjority of our congregation. It's like they came to the ELCA because it was "like a Catholic church without the rules." Then they decided they didn't even want the liturgy... I am blessed, however, that my local congregation does stick to Biblical teachings for the most part. And, we still have a liturgy every Sunday